Dragon Shaking,...

The breeder I got my beardie from kept all his beardies on sand with no problems. But they were born on sand so they were used to it. Some beardies like to lick things to get used to them. Isis is a poster child of this. When she first encountered carpet she licked it and I had to run over to make sure she didn't get any stray fibers in her mouth. :rolleyes: Sometimes they're just going for a cricket and they get sand too. If they get too much sand, it can cause impaction which if not noticed or addressed, can be deadly for dragons. Paper towels, tiles, laminate flooring, etc. It's incredibly easy to clean and spot poos or if anything is abnormal about the poo. And it's a one time investment. If you're keeping the little guy, coming from someone that's switched from sand to tile, it's a worthwhile investment.

If all you've got is one tank, can you maybe get/make a divider or something until your friend can get the female again? It'll be easier to see if he's not pooing or not eating if they're separated. And I'm not sure who it was here, but I read about one guy's/girl's bigger beardie dragging a smaller one around by it's head. So like BPEliz said, you can't know what she's doing to him when you're not looking. I understand having an animal thrust on you, so just try to get that spare tank as soon as you can.

Is it kind of like an up and down shake? Beardies will bob their heads sometimes. But this sounds like a dog shaking when they're cold type of thing... I've never heard of an actual shake... It could be stress, new environment with another beardie, it's cold out, etc.

Oh and the not pooing, it could be impaction, it could just be because he hasn't eaten. If you hold him on your hand across your fingers, just gently "wave" your fingers across his belly. Massage his belly basically. I did this to Isis once when she had pooed in a while and almost immediately she pooed, so make sure he's over like a paper towel, or the bath tub or a toilet. If he is impacted, you should feel bumps kinda like pebbles in his stomach.

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Originally Posted by maverickgtr

The breeder I got my beardie from kept all his beardies on sand with no problems. But they were born on sand so they were used to it. Some beardies like to lick things to get used to them. Isis is a poster child of this. When she first encountered carpet she licked it and I had to run over to make sure she didn't get any stray fibers in her mouth. :rolleyes: Sometimes they're just going for a cricket and they get sand too. If they get too much sand, it can cause impaction which if not noticed or addressed, can be deadly for dragons. Paper towels, tiles, laminate flooring, etc. It's incredibly easy to clean and spot poos or if anything is abnormal about the poo. And it's a one time investment. If you're keeping the little guy, coming from someone that's switched from sand to tile, it's a worthwhile investment.

If all you've got is one tank, can you maybe get/make a divider or something until your friend can get the female again? It'll be easier to see if he's not pooing or not eating if they're separated. And I'm not sure who it was here, but I read about one guy's/girl's bigger beardie dragging a smaller one around by it's head. So like BPEliz said, you can't know what she's doing to him when you're not looking. I understand having an animal thrust on you, so just try to get that spare tank as soon as you can.

Is it kind of like an up and down shake? Beardies will bob their heads sometimes. But this sounds like a dog shaking when they're cold type of thing... I've never heard of an actual shake... It could be stress, new environment with another beardie, it's cold out, etc.

Oh and the not pooing, it could be impaction, it could just be because he hasn't eaten. If you hold him on your hand across your fingers, just gently "wave" your fingers across his belly. Massage his belly basically. I did this to Isis once when she had pooed in a while and almost immediately she pooed, so make sure he's over like a paper towel, or the bath tub or a toilet. If he is impacted, you should feel bumps kinda like pebbles in his stomach.

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ok thank you for the addvice i will try to divide the tank tonight,... would that stress him more than just using the tub with some paper towels cuz of the sudden shrink in space,...? and yeah he kinda looks like he's shivering but its just his head its really strange and i will try to rub his tummy the way you suggested or at least feel for an impaction and update once these thing have been tested i'm starting to wonder if i smell a vet visit coming cuz this is just so strange is there anything else i could try feeding him i've been offering greens but havent had a chance to finish setting up my mealworm breeder and or to purchase crikets,...

If you feel more comfortable putting him in a tub, then go for it. If you can get the lights he needs on the tub then it'll be the same as dividing the tank.

If he keeps the shaking up after you get them separated, I'd definitely take him to a vet. It could be stress but it could be something more serious if it keeps up. He might have neurological problems if it isn't stress. It doesn't sound like too big of an issue and he could live a normal life. A vet could tell you more though.

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Originally Posted by maverickgtr

If you feel more comfortable putting him in a tub, then go for it. If you can get the lights he needs on the tub then it'll be the same as dividing the tank.

If he keeps the shaking up after you get them separated, I'd definitely take him to a vet. It could be stress but it could be something more serious if it keeps up. He might have neurological problems if it isn't stress. It doesn't sound like too big of an issue and he could live a normal life. A vet could tell you more though.

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alright thanks for the help and i'll let you know what happens

If it isn't the typical head bobbing seen during sexual displays or territorial disputes, then it is most likely (not a diagnosis, but a possible cause) related to dietary issues. The important thing is not only correcting the problem, but also getting at the source of the issue.

Shaking in dragons is common (though not always the cause) when they are not getting enough calcium. Calcium is used for muscle contractions and spasms are not uncommon when calcium levels are low.
Common remedies include calcium supplementation.

Common issues that lead up to issues with calcium:
Improper husbandry is the biggest problem. If the lizard is too cold, too dehydrated, too stressed, too impacted, too anything else that may hinder the consumption of food, the ability to properly digest food, or the ability to attain the proper temperatures. It could also be an improper diet in general that led to this so even though it is eating well, if it isn't eating the right foods the problem can manifest itself. Shaking is also common in females that cycle but are not given the proper diet/calcium levels. There are a number of possible causes for shaking. None of them are good but some are quite easy to remedy.

Definitely separate the lizard from all other lizards (potential causes of stress). Make sure the cage is set up properly. Put it on newspaper so that you can easily see if it is pooping and peeing as it should be. Make sure it is eating, and above all if you're not sure why it is shaking take it to a vet.

J.....she stated that its not eating therefore not getting calcium. In these cases I know a vet can give a calcium shot....but what about giving it a bath and putting calci drops in the water so that its absorbed?????

If a calcium deficiency is deemed the problem the concentrations the vet will give will far surpass the amount that may be ingested during a soak. That method is not controlled enough to ensure they're getting the levels they need. (Though with reptiles I'm not sure if enough data have been gathered to determine what the "normal" amounts are). But if it is a calcium problem the solution given there will be better than the home remedies that can be offered.

The vet will also be able to rule out other issues including impaction, parasites, injury, etc. If it turns out calcium isn't the issue, then the calcium supplements won't be of much use.

just wanted to check in on you....any changes??

I got him to eat crickets but he wont touch greens at all,... ans he still shakes i dono what to think right now i'm going to call the place i bought him from in the morning to find out what his exact environment was before i got him including what type of greens i'm thinking he's just a picky eater

Baby beardies don't usually like greens. That's normal. You should offer anyway because sometimes they'll snack on them. Just dust the crickets with calcium and a multivitamin. As for the shaking, I'm stumped if it's not a calcium deficiency like J suggested.

Did your friend get his/her beardie back?